tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-303954152009-02-21T07:29:07.549-08:00Welcome. I'm full of sh*te and so is my blog. Wire in.SadKate***http://www.blogger.com/profile/07802305727474211107noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395415.post-48494324709119173332007-04-03T07:50:00.000-07:002007-04-03T07:54:59.620-07:00

In the unlikely even that anyone reads this blog, I thought I'd explain why I've not been posting.I've been and will be doing most of my posting on my Scribble blog at http://scribble.scran.ac.uk/kateo/weblog . This is a work thing but I tend to use it for personal-ish stuff too so, unless I have something to say that's not suitable for all the family, I'll be posting there.My RSS feed there is

SadKate***http://www.blogger.com/profile/07802305727474211107noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395415.post-52052148594892744102007-01-24T07:19:00.000-08:002007-01-30T09:46:31.844-08:00

I love new gear. I love it a bit more than is appropriate to be honest.By "gear", I mean any kind of clothing, kit, luggage, etc. designed for a specific activity or pursuit. Let me be clear. I got some gorgeous new leather boots lately. I love them a lot, they're beautiful and they are comfortable and don't fall off, but they constitute a fashion item essentially. My new gig bag that I'm

SadKate***http://www.blogger.com/profile/07802305727474211107noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395415.post-36183220251887376662006-12-28T06:50:00.000-08:002007-01-24T08:01:12.349-08:00

I am the authority on Christmas. I like it more than anyone else. I never go off it. I enjoy it more every year. Therefore, I am qualified to prescribe the rules.Here they are:Go to mass (I don't care, just go).From the period beginning the end of midnight mass, greet each person when you meet them for the first time with a kiss on the cheek and wish them "Happy Christmas". This practice may

SadKate***http://www.blogger.com/profile/07802305727474211107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395415.post-1162210572147799522006-10-30T03:43:00.000-08:002006-10-31T06:38:22.196-08:00

On Saturday 14th October I took part in the biggest event in Edinburgh's sporting calendar: the Alternative Triathlon 2006.The events are fencing (epee), chess and drinking. 1 point is gained for each bout of fencing won, each game of chess won, and each pint of beer sunk, to a maximum of 16 points in each event.To a gambler, my form wasn't great. I hadn't played chess since c. 1990 (age 10)

SadKate***http://www.blogger.com/profile/07802305727474211107noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395415.post-1161366079561341842006-10-20T10:26:00.000-07:002006-10-20T10:57:44.326-07:00

This month I took a trip out to Lanzarote to visit my good friend Jac, who's been out there for 4 years now and is turning distinctly native, what with her guapo novio Manuel, los dos gatitos, and her dodgy Canarian accent.It turned in to a bit of a busman's holiday when Jac suggested I team up with her and fellow musicians Kate, Claire and Derek to provide the tunes for an Irish wedding party.

SadKate***http://www.blogger.com/profile/07802305727474211107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395415.post-1159178824375734632006-09-25T02:30:00.000-07:002006-09-27T07:44:36.736-07:00

The other weekend there, after havering on about it for ages, I finally got round to organising a camping trip to christen my cheap new tent (£10, 3 berth, Asda's finest) and swish new rucksack (so swish that I'll need another blog post entirely to describe it). Here, via the longest blog post in christendom, is a roundup of the trip for posterity:Expedition party:Jenny "Boots Are For Keeping

SadKate***http://www.blogger.com/profile/07802305727474211107noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395415.post-1156956132983031262006-08-30T09:16:00.000-07:002006-09-05T08:50:35.443-07:00

Since I had two weeks off to do the Festvaldarling, I should probably do the decent thing and review some of the stuff I went to see. I did go to see rather a lot though, so I'll attempt to keep it to a tiny one-liner for each thing."David Benson: Why Pay More?", Pleasance Baby Grand (a Portakabin), £0 (mooched a free ticket) - more a racconteur than a comedian, quarter of show telling us he

SadKate***http://www.blogger.com/profile/07802305727474211107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395415.post-1154518075029316432006-08-02T03:47:00.000-07:002006-08-02T04:38:55.516-07:00

Last night I had an office engagement (free swally work jolly). The occasion was the opening of an exhibition and it was celebrated with a champagne reception. What a chore...Canapés were served. There were some of the usual little pastry discs topped with whirls of different colours of savoury paste and then there was something altogether more special: the poshest of scotch eggs.It was clear

SadKate***http://www.blogger.com/profile/07802305727474211107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395415.post-1154512129443427362006-08-02T02:39:00.000-07:002006-08-02T02:52:53.296-07:00

I have safely completed my second outing as reader-outer of quiz questions. I can confirm that it went very well. I managed not to muck up the marking of answers or adding of scores and my only slight fluff was nearly forgetting to read the answers to round one.I think the craic was pretty good: I made them all laugh and was definitely more Bob than Ann. Someone did jokingly complain that the

SadKate***http://www.blogger.com/profile/07802305727474211107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395415.post-1154015749727159092006-07-27T08:41:00.000-07:002006-08-02T02:54:05.060-07:00

My dad is known to some as "Big Albert" because he was half a head taller than any of his brothers and sisters (nine grew to adulthood). This doesn't seem ridiculous until you find out that Daddy is 5'8" at the absolute maximum...However, if you consider his starting point as one of a family of twelve impoverished Irish midgets who all lived in the same cupboard in Netherton, with no shoes and

SadKate***http://www.blogger.com/profile/07802305727474211107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395415.post-1154014275718040692006-07-27T08:22:00.000-07:002006-07-27T09:03:37.923-07:00

I mentioned this Burns poem (song) in my last post where I gushed about songs which celebrate marriage and lengthy relationships. It's written from the point of view of an old woman addressing her husband, recalling their life together and acknowledging that they are now nearing the end of their years.Here (from memory - huvnae checked it) is the beautiful last stanza:"John Anderson, my jo, John

SadKate***http://www.blogger.com/profile/07802305727474211107noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395415.post-1153837152194404982006-07-25T07:06:00.000-07:002006-07-25T07:47:51.246-07:00

I like songs about married couples and songs which celebrate the longevity of relationships. Here are some of my favourites:"Blanket On The Ground" (Billy Joe Spears) - Just because we're married doesn't mean we can't still get the picnic blanket and have al fresco nookie in a field like a pair of young pups."Still The One I Want" (Shania Twain) - Nobody thought we'd last but we did and you're

SadKate***http://www.blogger.com/profile/07802305727474211107noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395415.post-1153813508799909082006-07-25T00:36:00.000-07:002006-07-25T00:45:08.810-07:00

I had my first gig reading quiz questions on Sunday night. It went quite well. I was a wee bit nervous and therefore not at my peak performance-wise. I was a bit dithery and stumbled over words a few times but I think next week I'll be on top form. By the end of the evening I was even squeezing the jokes in.The crowd of regulars were very kind and acted all appreciative with a big cheer when

SadKate***http://www.blogger.com/profile/07802305727474211107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395415.post-1153318202777171752006-07-19T06:47:00.000-07:002006-07-19T07:10:02.796-07:00

Listening to Peter Gabriel's "Solbury Hill" has just made me happy.A list of some things which make me happy:MusicGolfBadmintonRiding my bikeQuizzesBooksIdentifying birds, plants, etc.PyjamasTheatreMatchesWatching showjumpingArchitectureMaking pretty thingsAdventuresTaking pictures

SadKate***http://www.blogger.com/profile/07802305727474211107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395415.post-1153235078588849422006-07-18T08:02:00.000-07:002006-07-18T08:04:38.596-07:00

I have a new sideline. I'm going to be presenting a quiz on Sunday nights. Move over William G. Stewart.

SadKate***http://www.blogger.com/profile/07802305727474211107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395415.post-1152890808839826722006-07-14T08:18:00.000-07:002006-07-14T08:28:37.450-07:00

I saw this van in Embra the other day and thought it was a brilliant idea. Man cleans ovens for a job. Genius!Cleaning an oven is a rubbish, dirty, difficult job, but I bet it's not half as bad if you have a van load of tools and specialist cleaning potions and you do it ten times a day. I don't know how much it costs but I would pay twenty quid for this anyday.Better than the business idea is

SadKate***http://www.blogger.com/profile/07802305727474211107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395415.post-1152709673947555162006-07-12T06:01:00.000-07:002006-07-12T06:07:53.956-07:00

My old dears are on holiday in Bardolino, by Lake Garda, in Italy just now.I'm at work.Fannybaws (mammy) seems to think that it's OK for her to send me pictures of her lovely holiday by SMS and to phone up and tell all about how brilliant it is there. She sent the picture above on Sunday to show me how great it was to be watching the Italy-Germany World Cup final while in Italy. She's just

SadKate***http://www.blogger.com/profile/07802305727474211107noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395415.post-1152097960416079752006-07-05T03:49:00.000-07:002006-07-05T04:12:40.426-07:00

Gentlemen everywhere, look to German football coach Jurgen Klinsmann for sartorial inspiration. As well as good all round grooming and presentation, the handsome Jurgen has got one important thing just right: the size of his shirts.Klinsmann is no Charles Atlas. I've no doubt he's in the best of shape but his figure is reasonably slight. However, he's not scared to choose a shirt which fits him

SadKate***http://www.blogger.com/profile/07802305727474211107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395415.post-1151922491798701602006-07-03T03:27:00.000-07:002006-07-03T04:45:22.726-07:00

My new golf clubs are great (thank you insurance company). Either that or my golfing skills have improved dramatically since I got them. Perhaps it's a bit of both.Last night's result was 3 pars, 2 bogeys, 3 double bogeys and 1 major fkup where I stopped counting. Now, I give myself 2 on every hole and my scoring index goes like this:Double bogey = good,Bogey = very good,Par = excellent,Birdie

SadKate***http://www.blogger.com/profile/07802305727474211107noreply@blogger.com0